Stars of Freedom

Chapter 54: Frozen Time

Nahe looked at the time on his phone.

Nahe: I'm afraid we're stuck in some sort of time loop.

Okami: Excuse me?

Nahe: Isn't it weird that the rain hasn't stopped? If I'm correct, lightning should strike right about.....now.

Thunder was heard as a flash came through the windows. Tori opened her eyes due to the noise.

Nahe: I've been keeping an eye and ear out for a while now. I didn't say anything until I could confirm it.

Volk: How exactly did you confirm it?

Nahe: Look at the time on your phones. I don't know what time it should be right now, but it definitely shouldn't still be this time.

Kenos looked at his phone.

Kenos: He's right, I had looked at this exact time just before we ate.

Acheron: Ok but like...what do we do about this?

Nahe: I...

He stuttered as he looked for an answer in his head. Kenos kept looking at his phone.

Nahe: We should probably find a way to leave the area of effect. Unless my working theory is wrong, the time spent in here will catch up almost immediately if the effect stops.

Volk: Ok but, how does that time affect us? We should probably stay here to figure out what caused it.

Nahe: You don't get it. The time spent will affect EVERYTHING. Your heart will start beating the amount of times it should have in the time we spent in here, your body will try and catch up with everything it didn't do if we stay in this effect. This isn't like stopping time, it's keeping it in a loop that we've probably been stuck in for a day now.

Okami: Wouldn't it be the same if we stepped out of the effect then? Wait, how do you even know any of this?

Nahe: I've read about tales of heroes and gods from all around the world. One story told about a Titan who was trapped in a time loop like this, he ended up surviving because the area affected wasn't too big. When he stepped out, he had to do it slowly, so his body readjusted without it killing him. He described how he was surprised when he found the exit, it had seemed like the area was infinite. He held his hand forward as he explored and when his hand felt weird, he knew he would have to move out slowly.

Acheron: Wow, you sure are smart. I couldn't read a book for the life of me.

Thunder roared through the skies again as a light flashed through the windows.

Kenos: Okay...so the loop is six minutes long. Lightning strikes every time it begins. Let's find a way out.

Tori: What's going on exactly?

Okami: Time loop, we leave, or we die.

Tori: Huh...sounds like another Tuesday.

Volk: I...I don't think that should be normal.

Tori: You know the amount of things that wanted to kill us back in the castle? This is probably one of the more normal things. You should have seen the giant wolves that attacked Kit and Argos in the beginning.

Acheron: You two fought giant wolves?! Cool.

Tori: Yeah, well... Argos did. Kit kinda passed out because she was still recovering from losing an arm. But hey, I saw the fight, and it was cool...

She looked at her left hand with a melancholic manner. She shook her head and continued.

Tori: Anyway, what's the plan?

Nahe: We don't know how far this effect reaches, so I'll lead the way.

Kenos: I probably should dude, I-

Nahe: Ken, you have to rest.

Tori: Isn't your power to see memories?

Nahe turned his head to look at her. His expression said no as his eyes and the scar on his nose lit up.

Nahe: We're gonna be going fast, cause that's the only way I can activate it. Keep up and watch out. But beforehand...

He went to the front door and opened it and then proceeded to walk back.

Nahe: Alright, let's go.

Volk: I'm trusting you kid.

Nahe ran towards the front door, reaching his hand out. As he moved forward, he was covered in a protective light blue aura. Everyone followed behind him carefully. The rain poured down on them as they ran out of the house. Alepou slowly swept her hand from left to right above her. She created a translucent yellow wall which floated above them, following and covering them from the rain as they rain.

Volk looked around trying to see if anything else seemed off. He didn't notice anything but water and forest. The sky was completely covered in clouds for as far as he could see. He stopped moving as he felt as if he was being watched. Elias who was running right behind, bumped into him. He flinched back and shook his head. As Elias was about to ask if anything was wrong, Volk turned around and grabbed something in the air. He held it as if grabbing someone up to which someone started to appear, as if deactivating a cloaking power.

Volk: So, you're the reason whoever's behind this hasn't stopped it.

The person grabbed Volk's arm trying to get his grip off of his throat. Volk slammed him into the ground, creating a small crater on the ground from the impact.

Volk: Talk.